Grand Tour – the great trip to education
Grand Tour
– the great trip to education
An important aspect of travelling has always been to learn about new cultures, as well as the allure of the unknown and the exotic. In earlier times a particular kind of educational travelling was what has become known as the Grand Tour.
The Grand Tour was the trip that would conclude university studies for, primarily, the children of the nobility and the gentry. Grand Tours predominantly took place from the 16th century through to the early 20th century. The trip would usually take several years.
› An Egyptian brown sandstone statue of a kneeling man figure, 19th century or older. Estimate 250 000 – 300 000 SEK.
Although the main purpose was educational, Grand Tours were not only academic endeavours. More pleasurable stays in cities such as Venice, Rome and Naples were often included, as were visits to areas south of the Mediterranean Sea.
Insights into the continent’s cultural, military, political and social conditions were important and were obtained by visiting houses of commerce, churches and other charitable institutions. The goal of this was to achieve improvement in one’s own country and closer connect it to the great ancient and classical cultures on the continent.
The aim of the journey was to develop one’s own education, open one’s mind to the arts and acquire new skills and experiences. During the trip, one would encounter stylistic ideals to imitate and take home. This generated an early industry for copying, duplicating and sometimes faking artworks and architectural details in order to sell to the visiting travellers. All of these fantastic objects were then disseminated across the world and started a collecting frenzy in this area. Today these objects are antiques in themselves.
› An Egyptian painted wooden part of a coffin, New Kingdom of Egypt / Egyptian Empire ca 1213 - 1040 B C. Estimate 100 000 – 125 000 SEK.
At the beginning of the 19th century Egyptomania was primarily a concept in France. Inspired by discoveries in Egypt, a visual language for design, fashion and architecture was created. Napoleon had entered Egypt with his army in 1798, but along with him, he had also brought a whole troop of artists, architects, engineers, botanists, doctors and restorers who would chart and collect the treasures of the Pharaohs’ Egypt to bring back to Europe.
Everybody wanted a share of the amazing objects that had been found. This created, as always happens when not everyone can own an original, an upsurge in smuggling, forgery and reproductions. Copies that had been made in previous centuries were now suddenly old originals with patina and newly produced objects were often given a patina in order to blend in among the originals. However, two thousand years of art historical design were mixed and matched uncontrollably in the creation of these new objects. Something only a trained eye would be able to spot.
› An Egyptian black granite bust of a man, 19th century or older. Estimate 100 000 – 125 000 SEK.
› An Egyptian painted wooden part of a coffin, Roman period ca 126 -251 AD. Estimate 60 000 – 70 000 SEK.
› An Egyptian painted wooden part of a coffin, Roman period ca 121 -245 AD. Estimate 50 000 – 60 000 SEK.
› An Egyptian sarcophagus mask, ca 800-500 B.C. Estimate 15 000 – 20 000 SEK.
Many of these objects, both from antiquity and ancient Egypt, were bought by Grand Tour visitors that came during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The objects were collected and brought back to the visitors’ homelands for collections and museums. Some of the objects were real artefacts and others were later, but well-executed, copies. Today all of these objects have become important art-historical objects, with their own existence and area of collecting.
The objects will be sold at Important Winter Sale December 8 – 10.
Viewing December 2 – 7, Berzelii Park 1, Stockholm.
Open Mon–Fri 11 am–6 pm, Sat–Sun 11 am–5 pm.
Auction Live December 8 – 10, Arsenalsgatan 2, Stockholm.¨
* Due to new recommendations, Bukowskis kindly asks you to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination from December 1st onwards at indoor events with more than 100 guests. Please take note of this before viewing the Important Winter Sale.
Hammer price
400 000 SEK
Estimate
500 000 - 600 000 SEK
Hammer price
260 000 SEK
Estimate
100 000 - 125 000 SEK
Hammer price
26 000 SEK
Estimate
15 000 - 20 000 SEK
Hammer price
120 000 SEK
Estimate
50 000 - 60 000 SEK
Hammer price
240 000 SEK
Estimate
60 000 - 70 000 SEK
Hammer price
Unsold
Estimate
100 000 - 125 000 SEK
Hammer price
24 000 SEK
Estimate
10 000 - 15 000 SEK
Hammer price
5 500 SEK
Estimate
8 000 - 10 000 SEK
Hammer price
90 000 SEK
Estimate
15 000 - 20 000 SEK
Hammer price
20 300 SEK
Estimate
10 000 - 15 000 SEK
Hammer price
20 000 SEK
Estimate
8 000 - 10 000 SEK
Hammer price
50 000 SEK
Estimate
80 000 - 100 000 SEK
For requests & condition reports Contact our category specialists
Stockholm
Björn Extergren
Head of Consignment and Sales Department, Fine Art. Specialist Antique Furniture, Decorative Arts and Asian Ceramics
+46 (0)706 40 28 61
Stockholm
Carl Barkman
Head Specialist Fine Art and Antiques
+46 (0)708 92 19 71